Odd, But True

I love this picture of Jim, he's still so handsome to me after all of these years...soul patch and all.

Some of our best times as a family happen on Sunday nights when we take the garbage down to the end of the road. It's a complete family affair.

Jimmy brings his bike or skateboard and the Doodle is usually in his pink car or Radio Flyer Wagon. Our crazy cat Coco even makes the jaunt. She walks right along side of us as if she's a dog.

One of the Doodle's new, favorite things in the whole wide world to do besides pushing his multitude of carts around is to go for a ride in the Jeep Wrangler. He loves sitting on his dad's lap and driving. We take the Jeep out around the vineyard and he loves looking at the horses next door.

The only bummer about taking him for a ride is that when it's time to come in, he screams. He does the sign with his hands for "more" while he's crying, so it's a Catch 22 whether or not to take him. He gets such joy out of it, but then gets so upset when it's time to stop. The boy does not like to hear No, Stop, Wait or No More. I know most kids don't like to hear no, but this is different. Because I can, I'm going to chalk it up to to just one more gift autism has given us...I'm going to have tee shirts and bumper stickers made that say:

AUTISM: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

It's the gift of psychotic impatience. Jimmy, at this age didn't like being told no either, but he was able to maintain a level of dignity with his impatience. He was able to eventually learn the value and art of waiting and didn't freak out or go postal like the Doodle does. I know, I know, different kid, different personality. Even so, it doesn't make it any easier.

p.s. What does it mean that I dreamt about short buses and mean bus drivers last night.